Pages

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Homemade Mayonnaise with Olive Oil

I am a huge mayonnaise fan. I can eat it with almost anything. It’s one of the first things in my grocery cart and I panic when I am running out. It is what I believe to be the true condiment for french fries. People like me are a dying breed I tell you. There is always a bottle in the cupboard, but when I have time, I like to whip some up from scratch.

I’m sure this is common knowledge, but let me just reiterate so nobody misses out: No bottle of mayonnaise on your grocery shelf can compare to homemade mayonnaise. I don’t care if it costs a king’s ransom and is made from the oil of a special nut only found on the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro which is only harvested during a full moon.

My grandmother makes, in my humble opinion, the best mayonnaise. Even as a child I loved its strength and headiness. You see, she used extra virgin olive oil which really lent the mayonnaise a divinely intense flavor, along with a deeper color. It elevated regular sandwiches and tuna spread into sublime versions of their otherwise ordinary selves…not to mention the wonders it could do for a potato salad! It was a condiment worthy of the grandest dishes.

I have a ton of mayonnaise recipes stashed about, but the one I’m posting here is a variation on a recipe from Donna Hay’s Modern Classics Book I. I like it because it is simple, and a good basic recipe to have. Instead of using the vegetable oil that the recipe calls for, I used olive oil just as my grandmother does. I also used black pepper instead of white because I actually like the look of the black specks in my mayo.

I used my food processor for this because I had been wanting to try the “emulsifying disc” attachment. Doesn’t that sound mysteriously dangerous? Like some alien weapon? “Quick! Take cover! It’s launching the emulsifying diiiiiiisc!”

- In a blender or food processor, process the egg, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper until well combined.- While the motor is running, pour the oil in a slow, thin, steady stream and process until the mixture is thick and creamy (with the emulsifying disc it came together very quickly…not bad at all for its first time out).

That’s it! You’ve got wonderful, tasty, homemade mayonnaise! Use it with your tuna spread or egg salad for outstanding sandwiches. It makes a great condiment as well for fish dishes…especially fried fish. Blend in some roasted garlic for an awesome aioli. You can also use this as a base for salad dressings. And of course, it is perfect with french fries :)

You are so right about homemade mayo, Joey. Recently in a cooking workshop we made it in a mixing glass using the handheld mixer, which also worked out perfectly - and quickly ! And we added wasabi to it. That was a treat indeed ! One of the many things I like about your posts is your honesty - and I am sure that your olive oil mayo is the most healthy in the world ! Go on !

Hi Sandi! If my mom had her way we also would have had 1 bottle a year, but since I moved out my more nafarious habits have, um, blossomed :) Nice thing with homemade is that you can see what actually goes in...

Hi Veron! Ooooh...with wasabi sounds awesome! I agree 100%...my mom makes a seared tuna which I'm sure would be great with some wasabi mayo! Yes, in this recipe they use a whole egg (although in others they use only the yolk)...I like it because it's less fiddly but then again with pure yolks it would be even richer...MMMM! :)

Hi Tanna! Haha! Yes, I agree :) I can imagine you whipping up anything from scratch! I still gotta try that ricotta :)

Hi Linda! Thanks! :)

Hi Angelika! Thank you for your sweet comment :) I try to be as honest as I can :) Wasabi would definitely be a treat!

I was never big on regular store-bought mayo, though I like the occasional thin layer on my sandwiches for the added moisture it imparts. (Aioli is a different story - that I love). But if all mayo looked and sounded this good, then consider me a convert!

Hi Nens! Homemade is leaps and bounds better than store bought...especially if you use olive oil :) Not to say I don't take store bought as I don't always have time to make things from scratch, hehe :) Even C balks at how much I can take! It's a small miracle I'm still standing!

Hi Katrina! That sounds goood :) If you are adventurous, and want to try something new, try mayo and sate sauce with your fries. It's how one of my best friends always had hers...so so yummy! I thought is was unusual until I went to Holland and Belgium only to find that mayo and sate sauce where among the condiment choices for their fries! And these guys know their fries!

I was so happy to see this post, as I am also a homemade mayonnaise lover. Your post was well written in that there is NO comparing with the store-bought variety. It is one of those things that your heart has a special connection to if you grew up around it. Great work!

One of my favorite things on fries is this sauce which I call McMenamins' Sauce since it's a reproduction of the "secret sauce" a local burger joint called, McMenamins uses on their burgers. We love to dip our fries in it with a splash or two of malt vinegar.

I found this page wondering if I'd done something wrong. There I was, making homemade mayo for the first time and using the only oil we have in the house: extra virgin. Then I look back at the recipe and see that they call for a milder tasting oil. I'll admit at first, the flavor was so strong I thought I had screwed up. One tuna fish sandwich later, however, I concur, it really is good with the extra virgin stuff. Just me two cents.

I was looking for ways to use up egg yolks (I use whole eggs for custards, so that's out), because I have 15 sitting in the fridge for the past few days (fresh eggs from home-raised chickens) leftover from making sans rival 3x in the past week. I saw recipes for mayonnaise calling for egg yolks until I got here, and I want to try your recipe because it is easy and won't need elbow grease :)Can I use two yolks instead of 1?

I also used kosher salt (got no sea salt on hand)...Maybe using the blade was not a good thing....

I did make another batch using kitchen aid's recipe. Hubby preferred it. Maybe the difference was the lighter consistency as a result of the whip versus the stiff mayo using the food processor's blade...I could not really detect much difference in taste...

Now where do you get the emulsifying disk? is it a Cuisinart disk or some other brand? I got Cuisinart Pro-Custom 11, and I tried to look for an emulsifying disk online...couldn't find any yet.

Hi Manang -- so sorry to hear it didn't work out! The emulsifying disc is a solid disk that has ripples...when it spins it emulsifies the mix. My processor is just a Philips Cucina. Will have to try that Kitchen aid recipe too!

I have been reading some Indian cuisine & recipe books off late and your mayonnaise reminds me that there is a similar dish that is made from 'Baisan' derived from grinding pulses to create a power and then that power added to oil give wet baisin.

Not only is fresh mayonnaise delicious, it is easy! I used to think it was tricky, time-consuming and messy. Not so. Just remember to add the oil slowly, to give the mixture a chance to emulsify. Do it! It's easy! It tastes wonderful!And, remember - olive oil is actually very good for you. (In reasonable amounts)

Thank y so much for the information about the mayo. I thought it would be something very difficult to do but no. The only thing that Im wondering is how to keep it for a long time without spoiling.? Thank u.ArcelySFrancisco Ca.

So, this recipe uses a RAW egg? Isn't eating raw eggs a risk? The USDA says: To be egg-safe:

1. Avoid eating raw eggs or foods that contain them. This includes "health food" milk shakes and raw eggs. Caesar salad, Hollandaise sauce, and any other food likehomemade mayonnaise, ice cream, or eggnog made from recipes in which the raw egg ingredients are not cooked.

Bacteria (salmonella) tends to be on the outside of the egg and while it is a small risk its slight. Lemon juice doesn't really kill the bacteria but if you eat it quickly and don't leave it out at room temperature the bacteria won't have a chance to grow and hurt you.

I made some mayo yesterday with my olive oil but it was really bitter. I think I need to splurge on good oil just for mayo and dressings because the cooking grade stuff just doesn't work.

Hi There. I read where people are claiming that mayo is unhealthy. While storebought is..... this recipe is not. If one takes the time to look at a healthy well rounded diet, Egg and olive oil are essential fats. You can not lose weight or be healthy without them. Slather it on sprouted grain bread and never eat sugar again..... now that is good eats!

Im a guy, i am very active, work out, healthy, and i want to stay that way so i eat the good stuff. in a blender, i used half teaspoon sea salt, used 2 cups extra virgin cold pressed italian only olive oil, then added a few rings of jalopena pepper for special flavor, a quarter teaspoon of cayenne for a little more, a half teaspoon of black ground pepper which helped a lot, 1/8 teaspoon tumeric which is bitter, 6 teaspoons organic vinegar, i also subbed a 2 tablespoons of organic omega 3 lemon flavored fish oil and 3 teaspoons sugar alcohol as the sweetner instead of sugar. Then 4 organic, free range, whole eggs not yokes. keep it refrigerated. i also added a quarter teaspoon of fiber to make it set up a bit. then, i added a little vitamin e (natural, no dl) It was amazing, whipped...not runny and flavorful.

Hi, Just wanted to add that seviche is made with lemon juice because it actually cooks the fish so that it is not really raw when you eat it. I am guessing that the same goes for the raw egg in homemade mayo which is why you probably add the egg and lemon juice together to cook the raw egg before you add the oil. I think that is probably why it's safe to eat mayo with the raw egg in it.

Honey love!!!! I googled olive oil mayo and got your recipe. Well..... I am so in love with this recipe. It's to die for. I am also a mayo lover and this beats store bought to pieces!!!Thanks for sharing.